Post by crystalynnbearr on Oct 17, 2014 10:33:42 GMT -5
Hi there!
My name is Crystal and I have an obsession! I LOVE my Quaker!
I am 34 years old, I have 4 children. Two boys and two girls. I was the kind of child that was forever bringing home animals that my Mother would never allow me to keep so now that I am an adult, I have a little of everything. My children are huge animal lovers so everyone has their own pet. I own two shih-Tzu (Joe and Owen), I just bought my children 2 Jacksons chameleons, we have a bunny, my hubby has an Alexandrine named Chloe and I have my Ninja-Bird! Ninja is about 7 months old now, I have had him since he was a little over a month old. I have hand fed him and that bond, it's unbelievable.
I grew up with tiels and a Scarlet Macaw (Mama loves birds) so I always knew a little about them. We had no birds until about a year ago. My mother adopted this sweet Alexandrine named Chloe. When she picked her up, my husband held her (Chloe) the whole ride home. She just fell in love with my Husband. My Mom tried to bond with her but Chloe had been abused and seemed so sad, she'd not let anyone touch her, she was a biter and the only way anyone could pick her up was with a towel wrapped around their hand. Chloe refused to bond with anyone, she would sit in her cage, doing nothing, silent. Until my husband came to see her. She would sing and talk. Finally my mother told my husband to "Come get your bird". We have Chloe and they have a great bond. The rest of the family still had to use towels on their hands for a while but now she's even warmed up to the kids! Everyone Except me. I think she's jealous!
So, I wanted my own bird! My husband bought me an adorable baby tiel from a breeder off of CL, I handfed her and really became attatched to her. I named her Sunshine. She was a yellow tiel. She was so loving and clingy, I didn't know why... And she was always hungry, begging. I had her 3 days. THREE days. The vet said that she'd been sick for a very long time and it was the breeder's fault, she had a yeast infection. $1,500.00 in vet bills but at least my Sunshine didn't die alone. I called the woman I got her from and she never returned my calls.
I grieved for Sunshine! I know it sounds so stupid, I had her 3 days. But when you're handfeeding a baby... They get inside your heart! I decided that I wanted a heartier bird this time, something that will live a long while. I found a reputable breeder this time. I was going to get an Indian Ringneck! I was so excited! It was Mother's day. I went to see the breeder and the Ringnecks were gorgeous but, there was this little Quaker. I don't know what it was about him... I had read a little about Quakers but hadn't given them much thought before... I brought him home with me. I was already experienced handfeeding, I had helped raise tiels and my mother's Macaw growing up so that was no problem. The problem was, if he sneezed, if he was quiet, if he did anything I thought out of the ordinary, I FREAKED. I was just positive he was going to die like my Sunshine. I was worse with my Quaker than I was with my own 4 children, checking at all hours of the night to make sure he was okay. Calling the vet every day with a new question. Emergency appointments on the weekends, I was so paranoid!
My Quaker has had 15 names, we couldn't decide on one. First it was Ducky because he quacks like a duck, and a myriad or others but he does this thing! He will very quickly stretch his neck out and make a sound so we started saying "Ninja-Bird" when he would do it. Before long, he'd quickly stretch his neck out and HE was saying "Ninja-Bird" himself! So, that's his name!
I have him with me from morning till night. If ever possible, he goes where I go. We have a travel cage but I am looking in to a harness. He's my baby. I just finally stopped his night-time feedings last week, he's eating like a big boy. And he's saying EVERYTHING! It's amazing just how intelligent these little guys are! He makes the who family laugh every day. I love him so much! He's more than my pet, he's my companion.
Thanks to the woman who sold me my poor Sunshine (the woman is evil, I may write more about her later. I wrote an ad of warning on CL and have received DOZENS of responses from other people who bought from her and their animals died too). But I am now enrolled in a college class to become a veterinary technician. I am glad to have found this forum of people who share my passion!
